His injuries could no longer be suppressed. This time, Lu Yuan had faced no ordinary opponents.
Immortals were existences that transcended the Saint Realm. Even the mere aura they radiated was not something a Sovereign King Realm could withstand.
On the path of evolution, mortal lay below, immortal above. He knew very well that just now, he had merely relied on the contingency measures left behind by the ancient sages.
Otherwise, had it come to a true fight, he likely would have been incapable of putting up any resistance at all; the disparity was simply too vast. And this made Lu Yuan all the more urgent to take another step forward.
Breaking into the Saint Realm was not the end. Fortunately, during this trip to the Moon, he had gained a shred of insight into how to break through.
"Is he injured?" Seeing this, the Yin Sparrow Demi-Saint lightly fluttered his wings and continued, "Though this man's realm isn't high, his courage and every other aspect are among the very best. Once he grows further, he will be truly terrifying."
"What if we strike now and slay him?" The Three-Headed Ghost Clan Demi-Saint conceived this thought once more.
To dare oppose immortals while possessing supreme talent, and more importantly, to have reached such a level at the very dawn of Earth's revival—he was bound to become a formidable enemy in the future.
Furthermore, an enmity had long been forged between the Three-Headed Ghost Clan and Lu Yuan. Hence, what he wanted right now was to eradicate this scourge before the other grew truly powerful.
Beside him, the Origin Demon Clan Demi-Saint harbored the same thought. Even though the Celestial Clan had spread word that no one was permitted to harm Lu Yuan, he now felt a certain impending crisis, believing they had to act as soon as possible. At any rate, it appeared that this person could not activate the Severance of Heaven and Earth again in the short term.
This was their finest opportunity to strike. The Yin Sparrow Demi-Saint could not help but nod as well, the black flames engulfing him deepening further.
His original intent had been to subdue Lu Yuan and make him serve his purposes. Now, that clearly seemed impossible; this person was simply too proud.
And since that was the case, there was no need to let him live. Soon, all twelve Demi-Saints appeared to reach a consensus, contemplating how to dispose of him.
Just at that moment, however, Lu Yuan glanced at them from the Moon. Without uttering a word, he produced another Boundary-Shifting Talisman, and his entire figure vanished instantly.
Seeing this, the power within the saints surged. But shortly after, another aura emerged behind them—it was Elder Jiang.
He had been watching from behind all along, precisely to prevent any mishaps. Soon, Lu Yuan's figure manifested once more, arriving within Earth's boundaries. Then, without hesitation, he descended directly, paying no heed whatsoever to the twelve Demi-Saints.
The task was finished; there was no reason to linger. Moreover, he carried injuries that needed recovery. At the same time, he intended to seize this opportunity to find a way into the Saint Realm.
The greatest crisis had been resolved, but it was only temporary. The grand tide of extraterrestrial invasion was, in the end, irreversible.
Once the protection of the Severance of Heaven and Earth faded, they would have to confront even mightier adversaries. Only strength could resolve everything; he could not afford half a moment's rest.
"Gentlemen, this old man shall take his leave as well." Facing the Demi-Saints with a faint smile in his eyes, Elder Jiang spoke. He could naturally perceive what the saints were thinking, but with him present, they would not succeed.
Now that everything had concluded satisfactorily, he had no intention of remaining either, and returned to Earth. Seeing this, fury could not help but flare within the twelve Demi-Saints.
If it truly came down to a fight, that member of the Jiang clan had his cultivation suppressed, and even with the Lesser Shennong Cauldron, he might not necessarily be a match for them. But acting recklessly might very well bring retaliation upon themselves.
"Ranked Immortals took action, and the great clans of various star sectors conspired, yet they actually failed." The Yin Sparrow Demi-Saint still found it hard to believe. After all, from start to finish, the only one who had acted was Lu Yuan.
"It cannot end like this. Descending upon the Milky Way Star Sector is a consensus; the various star sectors will not simply give up over a momentary setback," the Three-Headed Ghost Clan Demi-Saint said. He believed there were still opportunities, as his desire to invade grew ever stronger.
His goal was to slay Lu Yuan and rid his clan of this looming disaster. Buzz, buzz, buzz—right at that moment, a succession of sounds resonated from the depths of the cosmos.
Sensing something, the twelve Demi-Saints dispersed at once without a word. Messages had arrived from their respective clans, obviously prompted by the failure of this operation.
Just as the Three-Headed Ghost Clan Demi-Saint had anticipated, the various star sectors would not abandon their bid for an early invasion.
Meanwhile, down on Earth, all living beings discovered that the celestial anomalies had vanished. The myriad stars that had filled the sky were gone, and the heavens had returned to their original appearance.
Did this mean Earth's crisis was averted, and the extraterrestrial invasion had failed? Both the Awakened and common citizens entertained this thought, yet without confirmed news, their hearts remained in their throats.
As for the extraterrestrial beings already on Earth, each was thoroughly dumbfounded. They had no idea what had happened, but they knew it was certainly not good news.
Elsewhere, at the Mount Tai Trial Academy.
After enduring all the terrifying phenomena and the apocalyptic aura from before, Elder Ji and the others were left completely rooted to the spot when everything faded. They were at a loss, for no one knew the outcome.
At long last, Lu Yuan's figure slowly appeared in the sky, descending from high above with Elder Jiang right behind him.
"King Lu..." Immediately, the crowd hurried forward to greet him, their expressions filled with nervous tension.
"It has been settled. King Lu has protected Earth," Elder Jiang stated outright with a warm smile.
At the same time, he gave a slight nod toward Jiang Ningxian nearby, confirming the matter. As his words fell, a hush swept over the scene.
The Ice Fairy and the other youngsters exchanged glances in disbelief. The deep creases on the faces of Elder Ji and Elder Yun smoothed out in an instant.
Before this, nearly everyone had felt a looming sense of impending catastrophe every time they looked up at the sea of stars in the sky. But now, it was finally over, meaning they no longer needed to dread that doom.
Yet just as they were about to cheer, the observant Zhu Qingyu spoke up: "King Lu, are you injured?"
No sooner had she spoken than everyone noticed Lu Yuan's aura was exceedingly weak, his face as pale as gold paper, devoid of color.
"King Lu, are you all right?" The spirits of the newly elated crowd plummeted to rock bottom. Lu Yuan was the strongest person on Earth today and had just successfully thwarted the extraterrestrial invasion.
By all accounts, nothing could be allowed to happen to him. Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others grew anxious to the extreme.
Yet Lu Yuan merely shook his head and said softly, "It is nothing. Resting for a while after returning will suffice." Still, his words failed to reassure them, and Elder Ji went so far as to declare that he would mobilize vast quantities of spiritual fruits and exotic herbs to help mend his injuries.
"There is no need for all of you to worry. Though he is injured, he has reaped immense benefits. After this closed-door cultivation, he should be able to take another step forward." Jiang Ningxian's voice soon rang out. Looking at Lu Yuan, she said softly, "For the next step, I suppose you might actually achieve Sainthood, won't you?"
Chapter 209